Doorway template



Jan. 13, 1959 w. J. ATKINSON 2,357,911

I DOORWAY TEMPLATE Filed July 50, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 William .1. AIk/nsan INVENTOR.

Jan. 13, 1959 w. J. ATKINSON DOORWAY TEMPLATE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 30, 1956 Fig.3

Fig.2

I! V A 1 x a 2 n 2 i m .a m W United States, Patent DOORWAY TEMPLATE William J. Atkinson, Sarasota, Fla., assignor of one-half to John M. Saba, Sarasota, Fla.

Application July 30, 1956, Serial No. 600,820

1 Claim. (Cl. 33-194) This invention generally relates to a template construction and more specifically provides a door fitting template for obtaining an accurate measurement of a door opening in which the door is to be positioned so that such measurements may be expeditiously transferred to the door so that the door may be properly cut for hanging in the doorway.

The hanging of doors in a door opening is an extremely tedious task and requires accurate measurement of the door opening after which the door may be cut and fitted. Generally, the cutting and fitting operation requires the expenditure of a great deal of time since the door openings formed by the usual door frame are generally not positioned to such a degree of accuracy that the various horizontal and vertical measurements remain constant throughout the length and width of the door opening. Therefore, it is the primary object of the present invention to provide a template for positioning in the door opening after which the template may be expanded to exactly conform to the door opening so that the template may be removed and positioned into overlying relation to the door for accurate marking of the door so that it will exactly fit the door opening wherein all necessary allowances are automatically provided for providing the various clearances necessary.

The present invention may be adjusted to the exact dimensions of a door opening in a very few seconds and may be adapted to conform with any deviations or curvatures in the door frame. After the adjustment is completed, the template is placed on the door to be fitted and marked from the clearance side which automatically provides the exact amount of clearance for the door fitting. This invention also automatically provides for horizontal as well as for vertical clearance without the necessity of scribing the bottom of the door after the vertical fitting is made. In employing the present invention, it is not necessary to handle the door at all until it is ready to hang in position except the positioning of the door for the cutting operation.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of the front side of the invention illustrating the various structural details thereof;

Figure 2 is an elevational view of the present invention showing the same positioned in a doorway;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passing along section line 33 of Figure 2 illustrating the details of construction of the template of the present invention;

Figure 4 is a transverse, plan sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passing along section line 44 of Figure 2 illustrating further details of construction of the template; and

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Figure 5 is a detailed sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passing along section line 55 of Figure 1 illustrating the details of construction of the longitudinally adjustable side rails.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, the numeral 10 generally designates the doorway template of the present invention. The doorway template 10 includes a pair of longitudinal side members generally designated by the numerals 12 and 14 and a plurality of transverse members generally designated by the numerals 16, 18, 20 and 22.

The side members 12 and 14 are identical in construction and include anelongated central section 24 extending to a point adjacent the ends thereof together with end sections 26. Rigidly secured to each end section 26 is an elongated strip 28 having a longitudinal slot 30 therein with the strip 28 being slidably received in a longitudinal groove 32 in the central section 24. A threaded stud 34 extends through the slot 30 and is provided with a wing nut 36 for clamping the strip 28 in longitudinally adjusted position for effecting the longitudinal adjustment of the side members 12 and 14.

Each of the transverse members 16, 18, 20 and 22 is identical in construction and includes a pair of sections 38 and 40. The section 40 is provided with an elongated rigid strip 42 extending therefrom having an elongated longitudinal slot 44 with the strip 42 being slidably received in a groove 46 in the other section 38 wherein the sections 40 and 38 may effect longitudinal adjustment of the transverse members 18. A threaded stud 48 is provided and extends through the slot 44 and has a wing nut 50 thereon for clamping the sections 38 and 40 in longitudinally adjusted position.

The transverse members are secured to the side members by an overlapping joint construction generally designated by the numeral 52 wherein the overlapping joint is retained in position by a bolt 54 having a wing nut 56 on one end thereof whereby the various elements of the invention may be detached.

Angulated brace means generally designated by the numeral 58 is provided between the end transverse members 16 and 22 and the side member 12 and each of the brace members 58 includes an elongated section 60 having a longitudinal groove 62 in one surface thereof for slidably receiving an elongated strip 64 having a slot 66 therein with a threaded stud 68 projecting through the slot 66 and provided with a wing nut 70 for locking the strip 64 in adjusted position. The free end of the elongated section 60 is positioned over the bolt 54 which secures the transverse member 18 to the side member 12 and the free end of the strip 64 fits over the bolt 48 which secures the sections 38 and 40 in longitudinally adjusted position thereby forming a rigid rectangular frame which may be longitudinally and transversely adjusted in all of its dimensions.

The central section 24 of each of the side members 12 and 14 is provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced generally U-shaped cutouts 72 with a cutout 72 being disposed between each adjacent pair of transverse members. A turnbuckle generally designated by the numeral 74 is provided with a pair of threaded members 76 engaging a central loop portion 78, and the threaded members 76 terminate in mounting plates 80 which are attached to the inner face of the central section 24 as by fastening elements 82 thereby making the threaded members 76 stationary so that rotation of the central loop 78 which is in engagement with the threaded member 76 will cause outward or inward movement of the remote edges of the cutout 72 which will curve or bend the outer edge of the central section 24 of the side members 12 and 14 for conforming the surface or outer edge of the sections 24 to any curvatures which may occur in the door frame so that the outer periphery of the template will exactly conform to the shape and size of the door frame.

The lowermost transverse member 22 is provided with a pair of scraper blocks 84 on the sections 38 and 40 which engage the door sill for automatically providing the clearance between the door and the door sill which is designated by the numeral 86. As clearly seen in Figure 4 and also in Figure 1, the side member 12 is provided with a longitudinal recess 88 on the rear edge thereof which will automatically provide the necessary side clearance between the door jamb 90 and the door when the door is hung in position.

After the template 10 of the present invention is positioned in the door frame designated by the numeral 92 and expanded and adjusted to fit the same, it may be removed from the door frame 92 and disposed on the door which is resting on suitable sawhorses or the like. The door is then marked from the flush side of the template or the rear .side thereof with the side having the various wing nuts being the front side whereby the recess 88 will automatically provide the necessary clearance between the side edge of the door and the door jamb 90 and the spacer blocks 84 will automatically provide the necessary clearance between the door and the door sill 86. Accordingly, it will be seen that the present invention provides a doorway template which is light in weight and easy to handle and which may be quickly adjusted to any door opening in a very short time. Also, the device is so constructed that it may be adjusted to exactly conform to the door opening and requires no special tools and no clamping of the door to be fitted since it is only necessary to plane or otherwise cut the door to the accurate marks provided by the doorway template.

'The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. .Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

A template for accurately measuring door openings for facilitating the cutting of a door to fit the opening, said template comprising a pair of longitudinally adjustable elongated side members, a plurality of longitudinally adjustable transverse members interconnecting the side members with the remote transverse members being disposed at the ends of the side members, longitudinally adjustable braces extending diagonally between the remote transverse members and one of the side members for rigidifying the template, said :braces being terminally pivoted to said one .side member and terminally pivotally and slidably connected to the remote transverse members for varying the diagonal position of said braces, means for locking all .of the adjustable members in adjusted position for varying the size of the template to fit a door opening, one of the remote transverse members having spacers mounted thereon to provide clearance for the bottom .of adoor, {said side members being sectional, the remote sections of :the side members being longitudinally adjustable for providing longitudinal adjustment for the side members, the central of said sections having a plurality of cutouts on'the inner edge forming areas of weakness, a pushing and pulling means for each cutout mounted on the central of said sections and bridging the respective cutout for bending the .outer edge of the side member for conforming to thecurves in the frame of a door opening and comprising a pair of rods having remote ends attached to theside member at opposite .sides of the bridged cutout, and a turnbuckle threadedly connecting the other ends of said rods.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 937,816 Koerner Oct. 26, 1909 1,003,517 'Scelza Sept. 19, 1911 1,115,030 .Smith Oct. 27, 1914 2,511,900 Bryant June 20, 1950 2,679,696 Reeder June 1, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 19,223 Great Britain Aug. 28, 1911 of 1911 

